Afghan President Offers Opening to Talks With Taliban

KABUL—Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offered Wednesday to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate political party if it agrees to a cease-fire and enters negotiations to end more than 16 years of war.

As part of that proposed peace process, Mr. Ghani said Afghanistan’s largest insurgent group should acknowledge the legitimacy of the central government in Kabul and the country’s constitution, particularly the rights it enshrines for women.